Imitation tree



' very difficult to sweep up..

Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNITED fsrArss;

KIPLING ARTHUR GRANT, FRANCIS ROBERT na nInAY, AND ALEXANDER WILLIAM I g I innate. mart CAMERON, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA; SAID 'HALLIDAY AND SAID CAMERON ASSIGNORS TO SAID GRANT.

IMITATION TREE.

. Application filed January 3, 1927. Serial No. 158,645.

It is usual at the Christmas season to use evergreen trees for decorating dwellings and for the supporting of decorations and gifts. These trees, especially in large cities, are

comparatively difficult to obtain as well as.

being somewhat expensive and have to b'e discardedafter they have served their pur pose for the season, and thefollowing year a new tree purchased, .This, in. the course of time, involves considerable expense.

The real tree is also objectionable on account of the falling of the needles, which are Our object, ther efore,is to devise an imitation tree, which may be folded for stor- I ing and used year after year, and which at the same time will have a sufliciently good appearance,particularly when decorated, to take the place of a real tree, and which will at the same time have sufficient strength to support giftsof moderate weight.

We attain our object bymeans of the constructions hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a tree constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 an elevation of the upper part of a the tree with the top section partly folded;

Fig. 3 a plan View of the stack of blank sheets showing the method of gumming the ,ofthe tree; 7

I I Fig. 5 a similar new of the sheets in fold ed position.

sheets together to form the branch sections Fig. 4 an enlarged detail'illustrating the method of connectingthe inner edges of the sheets together to, provide room for the trunk; and

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

lis a base, which may be of any suitable form and material and is provided with a socket to receive the post which represents line, thus leavin The lowermost section 2 These sections-6 and 7 are constructed as follows. A plurality of sheets of tough but flexible paper arejcutof similar size 'and are placed one on. top of the other in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be noted that one half of the sheets are gummed on lines 8, while the other half of the sheets,

which are arranged alternately with the first mentioned sheets are gummed along lines 9. From this arrangement it follows 85 that each sheet is gummed to its adjacent sheet on one side on 111185 intermediate the lines on which it is gummed to the adjacent sheet at the opposite side. i

tion 6 and the other half the upper section 7. It will be-noted, however,'that the gummingdoes not extend quite to the jagged another at the edges.

.The sheets in each section are'secured tolong pleats 'l2, alternated with short pleats 18; The long pleats 12 are, however, stitched.

g the sheets free of one so that they cannot open. To one side of the two outer sheets 14 .willbe stiff sheets of cardboard. p The hinge strips and sheets having been secured together, it will be evident that the I sheets may lie flat on one'another as shown in Fig. 5 or opened out as shown in Fig. 4,

and when 1n opened-out posltlon, owlng to 1 the opening up ofothe small pleats 13, a central aperture is provided to receive the post sections 3 and 4.

As, during the opening-up operation, the

lower ends of the sheets of the upper sec tion are drawn upwardly "and the upper ends of the sheets of the lower section are drawn downwardly, to avoid the formation of a conspicuous joint between the sections, Y

the lower end of the upper section is inclined upwardly .fromthe outer edges of the sheets to the centre of the section, as V will be seen from Figs. 2 and 3, and thus the outer edges of the sheets when the section is opened out will extend sulliciently below the upper edge of the lower section to hide the joint.

I11 order to carry out the realistic elli'ect as much possible, the gunnning lines, as will be seen from Fig. 3, are gradually spaced further apart from top to bottom. thus giving the eti'crtol closer spacing of the branches towards the top of the tree.

Various combinations in the shades o'l paper may be employed if desired for the purpose of improving the ell'ect.

Tie trings 15, or other suitable Fasteners will be employed for securing: the still leaves to one another when the sections are opened out.

From the above description it will he seen that we have devised an imitation tree which will he lasting, clean in use and which will have a sulliciently realistic effect to take the place of a real tree. The tree will also be sufiicientlfy strong to carry ornaments and to also support gifts of moderate weight in its pockets when the latter are opened up.

What we claim is:

1; In an imitation tree, the combination of a central post; and a collapsible body portion adapted to surround said poet and shaped to form when oliiened up the rough outline of a tree, said body portion being formed of a plurality of su ieriinposed sec tions, each section comprising: a plurz lily of sheets of thin flexible material hing-(idly connected at one edge, each sheet being :iccured to its adjacent sheet on one side on lines altermit-in e with the lines on which it is secured to 'thi adjacent sheet on the opposite side, said securing lines extending in a direction away from the axis on which the sheets are hinged, the bottom of said 111)}301 section extending in an inclined downwardly direction awa t from the post.

2. In an imitation tree, the combination of a central post; a collapsible body portion adapted to surround said post and shaped to form when opened up the rough outline oi. a tree. the said body portion comprising a pluralityol? sheets oi" thin llcicihlc material; and a hinge member connecting said sheets, said hingz'e lneniher coniprisiinr an endless bandcliolded to form short pleats and lon JlGZItS alternately arranged. the long: plec a being secured to pl'Ortllt their opening; the inner edges of said sheets being: secured to said long pleats. said short pleats, when the body portion is opened up, being: adapted to open up to provide an aperture "for receiving the pole, each sheet being: secured to its adjacent sheeton one side on lines alternating with the lines on which it is secured to adjacent; sheet on the opposite side, said securing lines extending in a direction away from the axis on which the sheets are hingl'cd.

:3. In an imitation tree. the combination of a central. post; and a collapaihle body portion adapted to surrouiul said post and shaped to form, when opened up the rough outline of :1 rec. said body portion C0111 prising a plurality ol sheets oi thin llerzihle inal'erial hinygcdl i; connected at one edge, raid hinpjc connections hcinp; arranged so that the hinejcd edgier: oi the sl eels when the hotly is opened up, will he apaccd from one another, each sheet l'icina' secured to its adjacent sheet on one side on lines alternatinn with the lines on which it is secured to the adjacent sheet on the opposite side, said sccurin r lines xtending" in a direction away {F0111 the axis on which the rhcets are hinged.

-l-. In an imitation tree, the combination ol :2 central pot; and a collapsilde body portion adapt d to surround said post and shaped to torn: when opened up the rough outline oi a tree. said body portion coinpris .im a plurality oi sheets of thin flexible not teria hinp'cdl i' onnected at one cdgehinge means said sheets brine; secured to said hin g'c n1ea1n-=.said hinge means being pleated between the points oi. connection ol the sheet, ea h ihcet being sheet on one side on lines alternating}: with the lines on which it is s-iecurcd to the adjzn cent shcet on the oppovdtc Side. naid securing lines extending; in a direction afwa 'll'Olll the nus on which the sheets are hinged.

ii. in an imitation tree. the combination ol a central post; and a collopaihle body portion adapted to surrouin'l said post and shaped to form, when opened up, the rough outline oi a tr e, uiid l od c portion compriie iii-e. a plurality o'l' superiiniiosed sections-1, each section coin nir iinr a plnralitn, of sheets ot' thin llcxihle nndcrial hinn'cdly connected at one wine s id hinge connections being arranged so that. the hinged ethics oi the slants when the body is opened up. will he iaccd tron) o: e anotheiu each sheet heiup; H tired to its adjacent; sheet on one side on lines alternating with the lines on which it is siccurcd to the adjacent sheet: on the opposite side. said securing linc-= extending: in a (llitffl'ltil'l air-a ilroin the ZlXlH on which the sheets are binned. the bottom ot said upper section eatendinn in an inclined downward l; direction away from th s post.

tligned at 'l oronlo (la iadzn this it day of l eccinhcia 1926.

lllPlilllG All'lllllll GRANT. Flli'il'ltllfi lltllllihl' llAliLlDAY. llLlilldllDllll \i'ilillillil CAPdliROll.

also secured to. its adjacent 

